Shloka 28
भूमिभार-निवारणप्रसङ्गः (Bhūmibhāra-nivāraṇa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Motif of Relieving Earth’s Burden
मोक्षयित्वा तु भुजगान् सर्पसत्राद् द्विजोत्तम: । जगाम काले धर्मात्मा दिष्टान्तं पुत्रपौत्रवान्,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--विप्रवर शौनक! उस समय वहाँ आये हुए प्रधान-प्रधान नागराजोंके इस प्रकार कहनेपर महात्मा आस्तीकको बड़ी प्रसन्नता प्राप्त हुई। तदनन्तर उन्होंने वहाँसे चले जानेका विचार किया। इस प्रकार सर्पसत्रसे नागोंका उद्धार करके द्विजश्रेष्ठ धर्मात्मा आस्तीकने विवाह करके पुत्र-पौत्रादि उत्पन्न किये और समय आनेपर (प्रारब्ध शेष होनेसे) मोक्ष प्राप्त कर लिया
mokṣayitvā tu bhujagān sarpasatrād dvijottamaḥ | jagāma kāle dharmātmā diṣṭāntaṁ putrapautravān ||
Having rescued the serpents from the snake-sacrifice, that best of twice-born sages—Āstīka, righteous in spirit—went, when his time came, to his ordained end. After fulfilling his duty, he entered the householder life, had sons and grandsons, and in due course attained final release.
आस्तीक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is shown as life-protecting and ethically discerning: even when a powerful ritual is underway, a righteous person may intervene to prevent mass harm. Having fulfilled such a duty, one may then live responsibly (family life) and, in due course, attain liberation.
After delivering the serpents from the ongoing snake-sacrifice, Āstīka departs. The verse summarizes his later life: he marries, has descendants, and when his destined time arrives, he reaches his appointed end—understood in the tradition as attaining mokṣa.